The sentencing of controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-convicts over the Shakahola massacre took centre stage at the Mombasa Law Courts on Friday, November 6, as the group returned to court to await the judge’s decision.
Mackenzie, who appeared in a grey polo shirt, was among the convicts seen inside the courtroom alongside the other prisoners. Prison officers maintained tight security as the group waited for the court to determine the penalties they would face following their conviction on murder charges.
Images taken during the proceedings showed Mackenzie seated in the courtroom, looking towards the front, while another photograph captured him sitting beside a prison officer.
Outside the court building, the preacher was escorted by armed prison officers as he walked alongside one of his co-convicts. The other prisoner wore a blue T-shirt bearing the word “CAPTAIN”.
Other images showed the convicts being led towards the courtroom under heavy security. Some were handcuffed in pairs as prison officers closely monitored their movement.
Their appearance marked another major development in the Shakahola massacre case, which arose from the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children and one adult, in Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County.
Mackenzie and the 28 others were convicted on October 19, 2026, on 191 counts of murder linked to the deaths.
Following their conviction, the court proceeded to hear mitigation submissions from the convicts and their lawyers ahead of sentencing. The defence teams asked the court to consider leniency when determining the appropriate punishment for their clients.
However, the prosecution urged the court to impose the death penalty on Mackenzie, while seeking life imprisonment for the other 27 convicts.
The opposing submissions placed the sentencing decision at the centre of Friday’s proceedings, with the court expected to consider the arguments presented by both sides before determining the penalties.
The case has remained one of the most closely followed criminal proceedings in Kenya because of the scale of the deaths and the circumstances surrounding the activities associated with Mackenzie’s religious group.
The court’s sentencing decision will determine the punishment for each of the 29 convicts following their conviction over the Shakahola deaths.
